


Returning to Beloved and Brotherhood

by LittleBlackDragon



Category: Assassin's Creed
Genre: Adult Themes, Comfort/Angst, F/M, Implied Violence, Reader-Insert, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-04-13
Updated: 2013-07-03
Packaged: 2017-12-31 05:59:07
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,077
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1028092
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LittleBlackDragon/pseuds/LittleBlackDragon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Contains the Brotherhood Reader Insert Trilogy: "I Thought You Were Dead", "A Sparrow's Lament", and "Reconnecting".</p><p>In this Reader-Insert, the reader was the wife of Ezio Auditore, kidnapped five years ago and imprisoned by the Borgia, who had convinced Ezio and the others of her death. Upon her escape, she seeks them out to make sure of their safety, only to find her former home in ruins and her husband shot. Upon arrival in Rome, she must confront her fears about returning to her life, as well as those instilled in her by the Borgia, especially Cesare.</p><p>Ezio/Reader</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

I Thought You were Dead  
An Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood Reader Insert Flash Fiction  
Pairing: Ezio x Modern!Wife!Reader  
Warnings: descriptions of violence, sensitive topics.  
…  
You sat in a chair beside the bed, both of your hands still dwarfed by one of your husband's as you held one of his. Ezio laid there on the bed, still unconscious, his chest wrapped in bandages. The flicker of a candle on a nearby table was the only sound in the room besides the footsteps of the woman whose house the two of you were in. The scent of the burning wick drifted through the air of the rustic cottage, the frail light adding a whimper of warmth to the russet wooden amenities of the dwelling.  
On the nearby table was another object besides the candle: it was a mask, shaped to look like the face of a blue dragon, with long tapering whiskers fluttering from the edges. You had used it to hide your face from the sight of everyone. Including the people you loved.  
A part of you still couldn’t believe it had been five years since you had seen them. You had a feeling a reunion would not be a simple, joyful experience. There would be questions, confrontations, and surely at least one argument. They had spent at least a half of a decade believing you were dead. They probably had a funeral or a memorial of some kind. And you had no doubt your husband had moved on. He should have, anyhow. After all, you wanted him to be happy. That was what was most important, right? You couldn’t just barge in and expect him to take you back into his arms like nothing had happened.  
But your heart still twisted, clamoring to have his affections once more. Not just the touch of his hands on your bare skin and his passionate kisses but the adoration and tenderness between the two of you that you had before that fateful day.  
The day of your supposed death at the hands of the Templars.  
Except that they didn’t actually kill you. They made it pretty damn convincing to everyone, though, as you had found out upon your eventual escape. On the surface, it seemed confusing that they would keep you alive. Didn’t they want all the Auditore dead?  
The Borgia had figured something out about you that not even your family knew: you were from another time. The twenty-first century, in fact, from a country that at this point didn’t even exist. A Templar by the name of Horatio Vargas had managed to acquire something of yours that betrayed your true nature and relayed his discoveries to the Borgia family. They captured your promptly, and convinced your husband and the rest of your family that you were dead as to prevent them from trying to find you.  
They wanted your knowledge of things to come. For years, they kept you Prisoner, interrogating you and torturing you in horrible and cruel ways to get you to talk. You had given them little information, and very well expected them to kill you eventually. But, they always kept you alive, but just barely.  
The worst of the bunch was Cesare Borgia, the son. He was utterly without mercy or care for anyone in the world other than himself. All the Borgia were like that, of course, but there was something almost inhuman about him. Sometimes you could swear he was some sort of antichrist. He threw you around viciously like a dog tearing through a plush doll, he the spoiled child given a brand-new toy from his ‘dearest’ daddy.  
‘Make her talk’. Those were his only instructions. And oh the things he did to you… you would pay him back for every inch if only you could get a blade to his throat. Thinking of what he did made you look upon your husband even more with the thought that you just couldn’t face him. You were still soiled with Cesare’s abuses, if not physically, emotionally the scars were still there.  
But here you were. The last thing you thought of was the attack on the Auditore villa and the quiet village around it. Allies had taken you there, only to see the Borgia laying siege to it. You were not quite at full strength, but a burst of adrenaline kicked in and you ran into the thick of things, getting civilians to safety and helping the soldiers against the enemy.  
All the time, you were concealed by your mask and cloak. Originally, you had donned these to prevent detection by the Borgia, blending in with groups allied with the Assassins. But, it became almost a new identity for you, with less and less of …’you’, your true identity. But, the less of you there was, the harder it would be for the Borgia to find you.  
Then you saw Mario cut down and your husband shot, descending from the roof of a house to the ground. Others rushed and he led them to the escape route inside the Villa. You followed close behind, and you caught up with him by the time he slammed the gate shut behind him when he saw you coming with a group of civilians.  
He had been told of a mysterious woman helping the militia, and that perhaps she was an Assassin or one of their allies, as you had come in with a small band of thieves and mercenaries. He guessed you were the woman in question and let you through before closing the gate on a Templar, impaling him.  
Sadly, the fellows you had come with were not so fortunate, and had met the gunpoint of Cesare and his men.  
You told Ezio you were heading to Roma and he said he was going there as well, though he sent his remaining family to Firenze. You rode on your horse next to him, but his injuries were taking a toll on him and he eventually fell unconscious. You were found, however, and taken here, with your rescuer giving Ezio a message to meet Machiavelli as soon as he had recovered.  
And that’s how you had gotten where you were now.  
Five years… only to see your home destroyed and your family scattered.  
Just one more thing Cesare had taken from you. You concealed tears trickling down your face by patting your eyes with your sleeve. You turned your gaze towards  Ezio’s face, facing away from yours. It was noticeable that he was older, especially since he had grown a bit of a small beard. But, there was a small spot where the scar on his lip was bare, giving him a bit of a scruffy appearance. But, he was still as breath-taking as the day you first realized that you were attracted to him, or perhaps the day you started to fall in love with the Italian nobleman assassin.  
You were younger by a few years at <insert reasonable age here> years old. You remembered when the two of you were just friends that he would tease you endlessly about how small and cute you were. Granted, you learned eventually that he was flirting with you, but boy it made your face burn red when he did it. Eventually, you even learned how to flirt back though.  
Thinking of happier times almost pushed the horror of the last five years to the back of your mind for the first time in what felt like an eternity. But, it was just memories. Whether you could have such happier times in your life now, you could not say.  
Sleepily you picked up the mask from the table and brought it to your lap.  
There was no way he would or should take you back. Not after believing you were dead for so long. Not after what had been done to you. You felt unwashed and that no amount of bathing, or pushing it to the back of your mind could scrub it off.  
You looked up to see a reddening sky and a peek of the sun rising up. You suddenly realized you had stayed up all night by Ezio’s side. But, as much as you wanted to, you could not linger when he awoke. You thought about what the next best course of action might be. Perhaps you could join La Volpe’s thieves, or take on another disguise that would allow you to aid the Assassins in your own way. But, the first option might not work, since you had met La Volpe and there was a chance he may recognize you. You started filing through lists of possibilities in your head as you gripped your mask tightly in one hand while holding Ezio’s hand in the other.  
Suddenly, you felt Ezio's hand twitched and he shifted around, letting out a hissing noise as he realized the pain he was in as he was starting to finally come out of unconsciousness.  
“See to it that he gets the message, I have lingered here too long and have other duties I need to attend to. I apologize.”  
“Yes, Signora.” The woman of the house replied.  
“Thank you for everything.” You said softly as you started lifting the mask to your face.  
“I love you.”  You whispered to Ezio, giving his hand a quick squeeze, preparing to make a run for it before Ezio could fully come to. Little did you realize that your entire plan was about to come crashing down when you heard the deep voice of your husband, sharp with shock.  
“<NAME>!!!”  
…


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [](http://commentplz.deviantart.com/)  
>  Because you guys have been begging me to do a continuation of [[link]](http://littleblackdragon.deviantart.com/art/EzioxReader-I-Thought-You-Were-Dead-365575661) , I decided to go ahead and take a stab at a second part. God, I feel like I butchered the whole thing, though. It just seems so...overly dramatic. But, you guys asked for it, so here it is.
> 
> Also, I decided to put a little reminder that while faves are appreciated and I don't necessarily mind faving and running, I enjoy comments a little more. So, if you can, be sure to leave one. 
> 
> And...it's 1:45 a.m. Good thing the snow made classes late or I would be miffed.

A Sparrow’s Lament  
An Attempted Continuation of “I Thought You Were Dead” –Flash Fiction  
Fandom: Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood  
Pairing: EzioxModern!Wife!Reader  
Please note that there are no actual sparrows in this story. D:  
I do like faves a lot but I’ve come to like Comments more because I don’t get them very often.   
…  
The sudden sound of Ezio’s voice almost made you freeze, the dragon mask now just centimeters from your face. But, then you noticed he wasn’t looking in your direction at all. In fact, he was facing entirely away from you, his eyes still closed.  Was he simply asleep now, in some sort of mental limbo before coming out of his coma?  
Thinking perhaps he had not noticed you, you finally secured the mask to your face, and attempted to divert a possible confrontation.  You quickly stood up and bowed graciously to the woman whose cottage you had stayed in overnight and left, trying to make distance for yourself.  You were so very close to blowing your cover. You had no idea, however, that it was already too late for you to hide.   
The woman’s cottage was in the midst of ruins of toppled buildings both old and new with an abandoned church just down the road. The brown, dusty stone walls looked as if they belonged to a Crypt rather than a former place of worship.  You decided to walk towards this old shell of a building, several minutes passing by before you were upon its broken steps.  
You looked for a way inside, but the doors were locked. You could probably climb up on the roof, but your sense of balance and landing in the right place with not nearly as skillful as that of your husband's. Either way, you came upon the church hoping to have a better vantage point of the city before deciding what you were to do next.   
The sky turned pale blue and the sun had just fully come out from behind the horizon. A strong breeze whispered around your <color> cloak, stirring it around, causing it to billow upward like a flag for a second or two. Carefully and methodically, you picked a spot on the wall of the church and began to scale it, all thoughts except those concerning the task in front of you banished from the forefront of your mind.  However, climbing in such a focused manner slowed you down, making the journey upward several more moments than you were usually capable off. Then again, your supply of adrenaline was running low and you had not slept the night before, not that anyone could blame someone in your state, you thought to yourself.   
But, you did not miss a single step, and were almost to the roof.  
As your small hands came to grip the outer tiles of the roof, you began pulling yourself up on the ragged surface.  You glimpsed at the world below a brief moment, only to find you were not getting away from your problems so easily.  A figure in white approached the church behind you, and you recognized the robe as a new set of Assassin’s garments that your rescuer had left for Ezio. They were a tad less elaborately patterned than his previous two sets of robes, but still possessed the dashing elements of a one-shoulder cape with a steel armor attachment, and accents of red on the collar and trimming.   
He was awake, you thought. You needed to get away and fast, otherwise things were about to get messy. And yet at that moment you froze up again, and you realized that you were not so sure about the course of action you had been taking. Deep down, you didn’t want to run. You just wanted to let go, fall into his arms…  
But such thoughts were selfish, you argued with yourself. You’ve been dead to him and the rest of the Auditore for FIVE years. Five long…painful years… and the pain had not ended with your escape.   
You had been set on this since shortly after you had set foot into the outside world since your abduction. Why were you having second thoughts now? Perhaps…thinking about it was one thing, but going through with your plan was another ordeal, and the fact that Ezio was not far behind you made things all the more difficult.   
You finally pulled yourself completely up onto the roof.  
“<Name>! Wait!”   
Oh, shit! No, you couldn’t deal with this. You weren’t ready to face him. You would NEVER be ready. You tread carefully on the roof of the old building, skidding over to the other side and preparing to jump down and start running.  You stood up gradually, preparing for an unsteady landing on your feet. But, before you could make the leap you heard the noise of your husband’s feet almost gliding across the roof, gracefully and effortlessly.   
“You really are alive.”  
Before you had time to react, you felt a strong force on your arm, holding you back.  It was not too rough however, instead simply a firm restraint. You had been treated with almost no gentleness in your time with the Borgia, so it was a surprise to you to feel that even in being held back, someone was trying to treat you with care.  If that’s what it was… a part of you wanted to believe it, but your time away had made you doubtful of your own judgment in regards to other people's intentions.  
“Why do you run from me? Where are you going?”  
You could definitely hear how deep his voice had become as the years had passed. Like his grip, however, it was stern, but not harsh. Concern, maybe a dash of concealed bewilderment…no, you should not be as presumptuous as to think you know what is going on inside other people. Pushing your conflicting thoughts aside, you kept your gaze away from Ezio’s.   
“<Name>…” His tone became stricter, commanding even.  
“…How? How do you know…?”  
You finally turned around, your eyes looking out from behind your mask. Ezio’s face was concealed under his hood, the shadows of morning dancing on his face.  
“You think I wouldn’t be able to recognize my own wife?”  
“It’s been five years. Are you sure you are not mistaken?”  
Ezio’s eyes appeared in the shadow of his hood, boring into yours.   
“I realized this when I heard my men talking about your involvement in helping with the battle, but I scarcely believed my own conclusion. But…I heard what you said. A mask cannot hide a person’s true nature, <Name>. And I know yours more than anyone else,” his voice was softer in his reply. Your body started to tremble in his grip and you felt yourself fighting back tears.   
“Il mio passerotta(My little sparrow), do not hide from me.”  
No, that just wasn’t fair that he used your nickname, you thought. But, when he used that name for you, you knew there was no way you were going to get away. In fact it was something he only used to get your attention when you two were younger because he knew you didn’t like nicknames and insisted on being called by your actual name. It sort of went along with the whole teasing thing.  
Perhaps he chose that name because you were fond of spending your time outside watching the countryside like a bird watching the world afar from atop a branch. Either way, it was something you came to accept.   
“Ezio…I don’t belong in your life anymore. I was dead to you for five years. I just wanted to see you…to make sure you and the rest of the family were alright…but then the Borgia attacked. And they are hunting me Ezio. They’re hell bent on recapturing me. I can’t…”  
“So, you were captured?”  
“Yes, they faked my death so nobody would come looking for me.”  
“I shouldn’t be surprised considering what the Templars are capable of…I shouldn’t have been so foolish to be persuaded that you were dead. But I am just a little wiser than I was back then.”  
“Ezio…I can’t ask of you…”  
“<Name>, the Templars and the Borgia already want my head. They are after all of the Auditore…or what’s left of us.  They will pay for what they’ve done, and part of that includes keeping them away from you.”  
He released your arms, bringing his arms around you and wrapping his fingers around the edge of your mask. He pulled the mask from your face, revealing your tear-stained eyes .   
“And you’re wrong. Do you even know what you’re saying <name>?”  
“Ezio, don’t, please,” You begged.   
“You’re an Auditore, and more importantly, you’re my wife! That hasn’t changed.”  
“Ezio!”  
Before you could protest further, he caressed your cheek and brought your lips to his. Your whole body felt limp like putty in his hands, warmth rushing into you. You stopped any resistance, your hands gliding upwards to rest on his shoulders.  
He withdrew from the kiss and pulled you into and embrace, his chin resting on the top of your head.  
“I’ve missed you more than I can possibly ever tell. …I swear to you I will never allow another Templar to take you away.”  
…


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What is a lime, as opposed to a lemon? Well, most people know that a lemon is a story is sexually explicit content, whether it be classified as pornography or erotica. It is usually given a strong R or an NC-17 rating. A lime, on the other hand, can be a number of things. It can have stronger than normal sexual themes without actual sexual activity, or a sexual act in much less detail than a lemon would allow. Or, another possible lime is a story where the action does not go beyond kiss, petting, and similar activities. Most are given a rating somewhere between a strong PG13 to a light or moderate R rating. 
> 
> This story is a lime. I felt like writing a lime today. Why? Because I was experiencing writer's block with my regular story. And I wanted to test out my new text to speech software.
> 
> Another piece to make my Assassin's Creed Brotherhood Reader inserts a nice trio. May not be as good as the other two but whatever. It was still interesting to write.

Reconnecting  
An Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood Reader Insert  
(Not an Immediate Sequel to “I Thought you were Dead” or “A Sparrow’s Lament”, but a sequel nonetheless. Because I felt like it!)  
Pairing: EzioxModern!Wife!Reader  
Warning: This fanfiction is classified as a lime.  
For those who need clarification on what a lime is: (See author’s comments.)  
…  
It would take some time to get used to the idea that this hidden place was now your home. A hidden pocket in the eye of the storm, so close to your former captors, the Borgia, didn’t seem like the safest place. But, everyone had assured you that now that you were with the Assassins and your survival was now known to them, the Borgia would have a much more difficult time locating and recapturing you. Especially now that you had been reunited with your husband, Ezio Auditore, a now prominent figure within the order in Italy, as you had later learned.  
Before you were captured by the Templars, you knew somewhat of how to defend yourself, and for the most part you were able to handle common thugs and soldiers. But, the more skilled of the Templars could easily overpower you, which contributed to your initial imprisonment. Since your daring escape, you honed your abilities, practicing carefully and methodically. The groups you blended in with taught you certain skill sets that you practiced to become more than a match for those who would otherwise had brought you down before.  You had shown such improvement during your attempt to assist the civilians when the Borgia attacked your former home.  
Even so, some acted protective of you, still seeing you as fragile and perhaps even a liability, especially since the Borgia wanted to get back their lost prisoner. Ezio himself worried for your safety, perhaps more so, but in a more caring and considerate manner. After all, you were his wife. He had more of an investment in you beyond your role as an advantage that could give someone an edge in the secret war of the Assassins and Templars. One might think it odd if they knew you thought so clinically about it.  Such a line of thinking was a useful tactic during your time with the Borgia, and perhaps could be used against them still.  But it would take time to start trusting other people again as you once did. Your head and heart were not yet connected as they should be.  
And this disconnection made your reintegration all the more difficult, at least emotionally. You had broken down and wept, letting out your feelings to Ezio when he first confronted you outside of Roma. He was certain to not let you escape into the horizon and lose you again. So, you surrendered, allowing yourself a moment to believe that he still loved you as much as he did before. You wanted to believe that taking you back was as simple as this.  
But your mind was quick to close up the gates of your heart again, fearful of pain and suffering, and always suspicious, as you had to be under Borgia imprisonment. You tried your best to smile, to be the loving wife and compassionate person you once were. But your feelings were restrained by a guarded logic, wary and never faltering in its cold calculus. And Ezio, knowing you better than anyone else, could see plainly that you were struggling with an internal conflict between two forces that should be joined but were at war.  
He stole what moments he could with you, trying to heal the connection the Borgia had severed. In the initial stages of their preparations to fight back, these moments were few and strictly limited in time, making any personal progress with you difficult.  And time at night was mostly conserved for sleep, and you were not one to give it up so easily.  
It upset Ezio to think the Borgia had hurt you so much that you kept even him at a distance. Even in the wisdom that the years had given him, he was initially at a loss. But, he loved you, and giving up on you was not an option for him, especially after seeing your tearful eyes when you looked into them for the first time in five years.  
His sister Claudia and his mother Maria had not gone to Firenze as planned. Instead, they took up the task of taking care of the Courtesans of the Rosa in Fiore here in Roma when their leader was killed. Ezio was initially against the idea, not wanting his family to be involved with such things. But, he learned in time that his sister and mother were more resourceful than he gave them credit. And, having them here seemed to be a help for you.  
The two were overjoyed to see you. You visited them often, and unlike Ezio, you initially supported their decision to help. It was better to have everyone here, doing what they could to help, rather than being separated from help, should they need it, or so you felt. It caused conflict between you and Ezio at first, even an argument, and for a moment it seemed like you would drift further away. But having Claudia and Maria in Roma gave you a new found connection to your emotions; your smiles were more genuine, and your heart became a little stronger. And, as mentioned before, he learned in time that his family was not helpless without him, more than capable of their own success with the Assassins and their allies.  
Day by day, he managed to get a little bit closer to you, helping put back the pieces together. But, as time passed, it became more of strain to hold himself back. Even from the beginning, his thoughts would race through images of moments passed, of two of you together alone. He desired you more than ever now that you were back, wanting to peel the layers back and expose your angelic form. To have you know both physically and emotionally that you were his and nobody were hurt you again if he could help it.  
However, things were complicated when news of one of the Assassin’s capture allies reached him. Caterina Sforza, a noblewoman who pledged her support to the Assassins, was captured during the assault on the Auditore villa and the village around it. Ezio had something of an attachment to her, and had long since had been ensnared by her, even before he had fallen in love with you so long ago.  He had been seduced by her the night before the attack, before he knew you lived, though he would not deign to call it a seduction.  
She was being transferred to a place of the Borgia’s, and there was hope that this place would bring the possibility of confronting Cesare and his father and possibly putting an end to the Borgia once and for all. So, he went to infiltrate this fortress. He did not want you coming, for he knew of the trouble it might cause. You had always been wary of Caterina, though he mistook this wariness for jealousy. You simply didn’t trust her, seeing her as a typical politician, manipulating others to serve her ends, however reasonable they may be. You had seen people like her too much in your own time.  
You were unaware of what had happened between the two of them, but something didn’t sit quite right with you. You initially wanted to come. However, with a chance that Cesare might be there, most advised against it, not wanting the Borgia to have such a golden opportunity to recapture you. Not when you still required more training, so they argued. You were initially defiant, claiming you could handle yourself. But Ezio persuaded you that it was for the best. He wasn’t willing to risk losing you again, at least not this soon. Reluctantly, you complied for his sake.  
He managed to rescue Caterina, but Cesare and his father were not there. Cesare’s sister, however, was present. But, they managed to outsmart her and both Caterina and Ezio made it back. A doctor attended to Caterina’s injuries while Ezio discussed his findings with the other assassins. And so you approached the familiar figure of Caterina Sforza, now back in regal purple garments, lying on a couch as the doctor bound her wounds.  
She laid her eyes upon you, at first not believing what she saw.  
“You look just like…”  
“Ah, Caterina,”you put on a cordial look, “It’s been quite a while since we last met. I am <Name> Auditore, in case you have forgotten me.”  
“Yes, I remember you,” she replied flatly, “Ezio’s wife. I had thought you had passed away.”  
“Funny things the Templars can do. They had everyone believing I was dead while they clapped me in irons,” you commented sardonically.  
“I see. I would have thought someone like you would have been used as a bargaining chip if they intended to keep you alive.”  
“They thought they could use me for information. They never got anything useful, but that doesn’t mean they didn’t try.”  
“I see,” she noted, taking your comment with a grain of salt, so it seemed. She noticed your gaze was not on her but on Ezio, who you could see in another room speaking to the others. You had a possessive look in your eyes, which caused her great amusement. She indeed remembered you, and though you barely ever said anything to her, your face told her everything. Or so she thought.  
“Are you worried that I’m still trying to have my way with your husband?”  
You scoffed.  
“If you’re asking if I’m jealous, the answer is no,” you huffed, telling a little white lie, “I never was jealous of you.”  
While it was true that you weren’t always jealous of her, there were times in the past where you had a moment of it or so. But, the main issue you had with her was something else, something, as mentioned before, you did not remember fondly.  
“I find that hard to believe. But, I thought I would ask, since nobody but us is within earshot.”  
You paused, taking a deep breath.  
“I only ever worried that you might hurt him.”  
And therein laid the simplest form of the truth.  
“I do what I can for my lands, my people, and my family. Surely you can understand.”  
You shook your head.  
“I fully understand. That does not mean I have to agree with your methods.”  
Granted you were still a bit of an idealist compared to her, and maybe this was a naïve view to take, especially now.  
“Ever the moral paragon, I see. Sometimes you have to accept the shades of grey to survive in this world. One day, you may very well not be able to do things in simply a black and white fashion.”  
“Perhaps,” you sighed, “But perhaps the problem lies in that we don’t see the color grey quite the same way, you and I.”  
“That we can agree on. But, what you do is your choice. And I have made mine.”  
You bid Caterina a good night, finding yourself wishing to retire early. You were still unaware of many events that happened since you were gone, but when thinking of Caterina, there were some you would not care to know about.  
When Ezio came to bed that night, you questioned him as to his true motives behind wishing that you not accompany him. He wanted to insist that it was for your protection, but you knew there was more to it than that. He did not go into detail, but he admitted that he and Caterina had been close at one point. You said little, knowing that whatever happened was in the past. Even so, you worried about him being manipulated and the possibility of him being hurt. Especially when she promptly left not too long afterwards.  
Caterina did confess to Ezio that the night they spent was a political maneuver; something she hoped would convince him to provide more aid for her own campaigns. She left to pursue her own goals, leaving him to sort things out with you once again. And after that, there was a brief period where there was time.  
The Assassins were beginning to take on recruits, but while they were searching there was time for Ezio to once again try to get through to you, and continue to heal your broken heart.  
You remembered what Ezio was like when he was younger, and knew he would not have had as much patience as he did with you now. But, you were starting to let your guard down with him, the iron gates you had forged to protect yourself against the Borgia now willing to open, allowing your heart and your head to meet as they should.  
After a long day of searching, night was welcomed with the thought of rest. You shed your regular attire with an eagerness you had not expressed in what seemed as though it had been forever. You neatly folded your clothes, placing them aside as you were now down to a simple tunic and your undergarments.  
You heard footsteps, causing your ears to perk as you turned around to see Ezio quietly slipping into the room and locking the door behind him. He smiled at you from underneath his hood, and though you could not see his eyes, you could tell by the way he turned his head that he was admiring you.  
Your cheeks barely flushed a light pink.  
“Have the recruits already worn you out, <Name>? There will be more in the coming weeks.”  
You shook your head, laughing softly.  
“No, I am actually quite glad that others are joining the fight. It’s about time the people of Roma stood up for themselves.”  
He nodded.  
“I agree. Machiavelli does not trust that the common person is resourceful, but the Assassins would forgo a great deal of strength if they all believed such.”  
“Well, you certainly believe in them. Anyway…I was just…,” you stretched your arms, letting them fall on either side, “…looking forward to some well-earned rest.”  
You looked up at your husband, finding yourself feeling a bit warmer than usual. Your thoughts wandered to how distant you had been, mistrusting even of the people who mattered most to you. Your eyes shifted away in your guilt.  
“Is something wrong, dear wife?”  
You lifted one of his hands with yours, kissing the tips of his knuckles lightly.  
“I owe you an apology, Ezio.”  
He frowned, a bit perplexed by the statement, not quite sure what you would be referring to at first. He took his free hand and held each of your small hands, your delicate fingers soft to the touch.  
“What are you apologizing for, <Name>?”  
Your hands shifted around in his until your fingers became entwined with his like lace.  
“For not trusting you. I…I’ve been keeping you away when I shouldn’t. I…”  
When you said this he realized what you were referring to.  
“You’ve been through a lot, <Name>. Don’t force yourself to do something if you don’t want to.”  
“But, I love you,” you explained, with a hint of regret in your voice, “And you’re my husband, for God’s sake. I mean, I’ve barely let you near me since I’ve come back. And… it’s all wrong, Ezio.”  
You shook your head, finding it hard to find the words to explain your dilemma.  
“I missed you so much when I was locked away by the Borgia, I thought about you every day…”  
“<Name>, it’s alright.”  
He saw your eyes watering a bit, bringing his hands to your face to lovingly wipe away a small trickle of a tear. He leaned down to kiss your cheek, caressing the line of your jaw.  
“Nothing that happened to you is your fault. You were hurt, and it’s taking time for you to let people into your heart again. I understand.”  
As he was about to withdraw, you grabbed a handful of his robe and pulled him down, meeting your lips with his. You let him go, pushing his hood back to reveal his face, admiring the alluringly rugged facade he had taken on in the years of your separation.  
“Well, I’m tired of being held back by unfounded fear. I’m tired to succumbing to ‘no’ when I want to say ‘yes’. And…”  
You slowly stepped backwards, allowing yourself to fall on your back onto the mattress, your body in an enticing posture. Your eyes beckoned Ezio to follow you.  
“…And, I think there’s a lot of lost time we need to make up for. Wouldn’t you agree?”  
Ezio’s signature smirk appeared on his face after a brief pause, he stepped over so that your legs were between his as he bent over you, extending your arms and pinning your wrists to the bed.  
“This is an offer I can’t refuse… however…”  
He paused a moment, hearing your breathing hitch.  
“…I want to be sure that this is what you want.”  
You nodded slowly.  
“Yes, I do, very much. Please, Ezio…”  
Your lips connected again, temporarily preventing you from finishing your words.  
“…Please, I want to be with you,” you pleaded in between kisses.  
Ezio adjusted himself to get better leverage before planting a trail of kisses from your jaw to the crook of your neck.  You could feel him smile as he whispered something into your ear.  
“…As you wish, my beautiful sparrow.”


End file.
